The sport of wakeboarding is very similar to the sports of waterskiing, kneeboarding, and tubing. A wakeboarder or person riding a wakeboard is towed behind the boat by a rope. Typically, waterskiing, kneeboarding, and tubing use a rope secured to a stern mount on either or both sides of the motor of the boat. However, in the sport of wakeboarding, the rope is typically attached to a mount connected to a tower cross member. The mount on the tower provides a much higher connection point for the tow rope and provides vertical component force on the tow rope held by a wakeboarder thus allowing the wakeboarder to more easily perform aerial stunts and maneuvers. That is, the wakeboarding experience is improved by use of a tow point that is elevated as compared to the elevation of tow points used for waterskiing.
The provision of a tower having an elevated tow point interferes with the use of conventional bimini covers of the type used on boats having a low tow point. Attempts have been made to incorporate bimini or other sun-shielding covers with wakeboard towers having an elevated tow point. Such covers are not integrated with the tower and are useable at times when the boat is not in use to pull a wakeboarder. However, as the covers can interfere with the elevated tow point of the wakeboard tower, they are generally unsuitable for use when the tow point is in use. This results in undesired sun exposure and other undesirable circumstances resulting from the lack of a cover while the boat is in use to pull a wakeboarder. Accordingly, what is desired is an improved wakeboard tower having a tow point and a bimini cover that does not interfere with the tow point.
The disclosure advantageously provides a wakeboard tower constructed to include a tow point and a bimini cover that does not interfere with the tow point, and to such a tower of folding construction.
In one aspect, the wakeboard tower includes an elevated tower having a rear edge, a sun cover integrated with the tower and located above the tower, a tow point extending upwardly from the tower at a rearmost portion of the rear edge and elevated above the tower.
The cover is positioned so as to not interfere with the tow point so that the cover may be used when pulling a wakeboarder and the cover does not interfere with a tow rope attached to the tow point.